Mail box



INVENTOR ATTORNEY O. G. JOHNSON Filed July 50, 1923 Patented Dec. l, 1925.

` UNITED STATES OSVAL Gr. JOHNSON, OF IRENE,` SOUTH DAKOTA.

MAIL BOX.

Application filed July 30, 1923. lSerial No. 654,696.l

To all wlw/mf t may concern.'

Be it known that I, OsvAL G. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Irene, in the county of Clay and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail boxes particularly designed for rural use and an object of the invention is to provide a mail box which will meet with the requirements of the post oliice and one which has a corrugated bottom which makes it easy for the mail carrier to remove letters, cards,pcoins or the like from the box without removing his gloves or mittens in cold weather and which also prevents the mail from being crushed as often happens in removing itfrom flat bottomed mail boxes.

The corrugated bottom also provides drainage for the interior of the box and eliminates liability of the mail from getting damaged by moisture which frequently collects in the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel door structure and weight associated therewith which weight either opens or closes the door when the door is given an initial movement, which weight further .keeps the door tightly closed and eliminates the use of locks or catches which are more or less unsatisfactory.

A further object of the invention is to provide means including a spring for holding the flag or signal in adjusted position and also to provide a mail box which may be .manufactured and marketed at a relatively low price.

With these and other objects in view the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in con nection with the drawing wherein;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved mail box showing it closed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mail box showing it open.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the front end of the box.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional vie-W taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5--5y Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the main body 1 of the mail box is constructed of galvanized iron of the usual shape and the rear end of the box is closed by the end 2, the edges of which end are bent over as shown at 3 and overlap the rear edges of the body. However, the lower end of the rear end 2 is bent inwardly as shown at 4 to provide a support for the rear end of the corrugated bottom 5 of the box. The corrugated bottom 5 of the box rests upon the pivoting rod 6 of the door 7 and it has its edges bent downwardly as shown at 8 abutting the inner sides of the body 1 of the box.

The door 7 is constructed of sheet iron and it has an annular flange 10 about its edges which overlaps the front end ofthe body 1. Transversely extending ears 11 are formed on the lower ends of the flange 10 and the rod 6 extends through the ears 11 and is held in place by means of the nut 12 on one end of the rod. The rod 6 projects in the body 1 at one side and is bent transversely and has a weight 13 mounted thereon. A second rod 14 has one end embedded in the weight and the other end connected to the 'liange as shown at 15. The weight 13 counterbalanoes the weight of the door 7 and when it is desired to open the door a slight downward movement of the upper edge of the door, when closed, will set it in motion and the weight .13 will continue opening motion of the door. When it is desired to close the door it is only necessary to give it a slight movement and the weight 13 will continue to close the door and maintain it in tightly closed position thereby eliminating the need of catches or the like.

A signal flag 16 is pivotally attached to the body 1 by means of a suitable pivot pin 17 and the spring 18 engages the signal iag 16 and the collar 19 on the pin 17 for urging the flag into frictional engagement with the body 1 to maintain the flag in adjusted position.

It is, of course. to be understood that the invention may be constructed in various other manners and the parts associated in different relations and, therefore, I do not desire to be limited in any manner except as set forth in the claim hereunto appended.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A mail box including an elongated body y said door, a pvot rod extending' through the said Walls of the body, through the flanges on the bottom and through the ears on said door for supporting the forward end of the 10 bottom and hingedly mounting the door, one end of said rod being extended at right angles and a Weight carried by the angular end of the rod and having connection With the door.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

` OSVAL G. JOHNSON. 

